2D Comics Festival
The 2D Comics Festival is an annual event held since 2007 at the Verbal Arts Centre and Sandino's bar, Derry, organised by David Campbell, artist in residence at the Verbal Arts Centre, and a team including Ciaran Flanagan and Garry Leach. It grew out of the Centre's use of comics workshops to promote literacy among young males. The festival has always followed the same pattern: workshops for local schools at the Verbal Arts Centre on Thursday and Friday, panel discussions at Sandinos on Friday evening, an open day at the Verbal Arts Centre on Saturday, including artists signing, sketching and selling their wares, portfolio reviews and other activities, and more panels at Sandinos on Saturday evening. All events are free. 2007 The first festival was held from 19 to 21 April 2007 featured comic art masterclasses with Beano artist Kev F. Sutherland and an art exhibition on Thursday, and workshops on character design and working from a script on Friday. Friday night's panels were on getting started in comics and working on licenced characters/properties, and Saturday night's panels were on the state of the industry and comic-based movies, with a final "party panel". Guests from the UK included Charlie Adlard, Garry Leach, Kev F. Sutherland, Simon Furman and Mike Collins, and Irish creators were represented by John McCrea, Will Simpson, P. J. Holden and Rufus Dayglo. Media *"2D – the Northern Ireland Comics Festival", Forbidden Planet International, 20 March 2007 *"Taking comics back to the US – Derry style!", Derry Journal, 10 May 2007 *"Plans underway for Derry's 'genuinely unique comic event'", Derry Journal, 17 October 2007 Blogs *Northern Ireland Comics Festival in April , Irish Comics Livejournal (Pádraig Ó Méalóid), 20 March 2007 *Bugpowder, 6 April 2007 *The Convention Season Starts Here, Simon Furman, 15 April 2007 *2D Derry / Londonderry Report, P. J. Holden, 22 April 2007 Photos *2D Flickr stream 2008 The second 2D Festival took place from 5 to 7 June 2008. No information available on Thursday's workshops, but Friday afternoon saw an all-star making comics workshop for over-16s with David Hine, Jock, Garry Leach, Rufus Dayglo and Laura Howell. Friday's panels were on breaking into comics and heroes, in which guests Jock, David Hine, Garry Leach, Rufus Dayglo and others discussed their influences. Workshops were held on Saturday alongside the open day, including one for 8s and up on how to draw cartoons with Mark Stafford from the London cartoon museum, and creating manga art with Ed Hillyer. Garry Leach and Simon Furman also held a portfolio review session. Saturday panels were on the small press, hosted by Bridgeen Gillespie, and "the rise and rise of comics", hosted by Simon Furman, with Jock, Charlie Adlard, Alan Martin and others. UK guests included Jock, Charlie Adlard, Garry Leach, David Hine, Alan Martin, Ed Hillyer, Laura Howell, Simon Furman and Mark Stafford, and Irish pro guests included Rufus Dayglo. Stephen Mooney, Stephen Thompson, Nick Roche, Bob Byrne and Declan Shalvey. There was an increased small press presence, with exhibitors including Bridgeen Gillespie, Alan Nolan, Damien Flood, Shane Chebsey, Accent UK, the Derry Manga Society, Havoc 21, Longstone Comics, Stephen Downey, Scar Comics, Archie Templar, the 2D Collective, Patrick Lynch and Katie Blackwood, Zenpop, Philip Barrett, Semiotic Cohesion, Replay Games, Ace Comics and Berserker Comics. Media *"'Holy ComicFestival, Batman!'", Derry Journal, 14 May 2008 *"2D–Northern Ireland Comics Festival 2008", Londonderry Sentinel, 21 May 2008 *"Knights of the Empire at 2D", Derry Journal, 22 May 2008 *"Countdown to '2D' festival", Derry Journal, 2 June 2008 *"'2D' Northern Ireland Comic Festival this weekend", Derry Journal, 3 June 2008 *"FREE goodie bags at 2D Comics Festival", Derry Journal, 4 June 2008 *"Long Stone Comics at '2D' Festival", Derry Journal, 4 June 2008 *"Going comic book crazy in Derry", BBC, 7 June 2008 *"Derry does itself proud at '2D'", Derry Journal, 9 June 2008 Blogs *2D, The Northern Ireland Comics Festival, Pádraig Ó Méalóid, 7 March 2008 *Bugpowder, 25 March 2008 *2D Comics Festival, Forbidden Planet International, 22 May 2008 *2D Comics Festival 2008 | as a cheesy radio ad, David Maybury, 30 May 2008 *2D Festival Derry 5-7th June 2008, Bridgeen Gillespie, 4 June 2008 *2D Comics Festival and small press comics, Patrick Brown, 9 June 2008 *Derry well done, Simon Furman, 9 June 2008 *Derry 2D Festival 2008.... survived!, Rufus Dayglo, 9 June 2008 *Dodgy Photos from the Last Bus launch night and Derry 2D Festival, Patrick Lynch, 24 June 2008 *Convention Report, Shane Chebsey, undated Photos *2D Flickr stream *Stephen Mooney (Facebook) 2009 The third 2D Festival was held on 4-6 June 2009. Guests from the UK included Bryan Talbot, David Lloyd, D'Israeli, Glenn Fabry, Liam Sharp, Simon Furman, Garry Leach, David Hine, Mike Collins and Andie Tong, and Irish guests included Rufus Dayglo, Declan Shalvey, Philip Barrett, Bridgeen Gillespie, Will Simpson, Nick Roche, Stephen Mooney, Will Sliney and Stephen Downey. There doesn't appear to have been any Thursday events, but there was an all-star comic workshop for local teenagers on Friday afternoon. Friday night panels were on the state of comic art and homegrown heroes with the Eclectic Micks. Alongside the open day on Saturday, Bryan Talbot gave a preview of his graphic novel Grandeville, and David Lloyd took part in an interview on his career. Sketching had a theme of monsters. Saturday night panels were a Q&A with David Lloyd, and "Burn Hollywood Burn". Video *Video report from CultureNI, featuring David Campbell, Philip Barrett and Gar Shanley *''Fractured Visions, video documentary by Craig Smith, including the 2D Comics Festival, Bridgeen Gillespie, Malachy Coney, Declan Shalvey and David Lloyd *2D Festival Move Clip by Craig Smith Media *Paul Birch, "2D - Northern Ireland Comics Festival", ''Birmingham Mail, 3 March 2009 *"'Campaign for Drawing' event comes to Derry", Derry Journal, 21 May 2009 *"Comic festival kicks off", Derry Journal, 1 June 2009 *"From V to 2D - 'V for Vendetta' artist gears up for Derry festival", Derry Journal, 10 June 2009 *Lee Henry, 2D Northern Ireland Comics Festival, Culture Northern Ireland, undated Blogs *2D Festival this weekend, Forbidden Planet International, 5 June 2009 *2D Festival Begins in Derry, Down the Tubes (John Freeman), 5 June 2009 *Derr-icious!, Simon Furman, 8 June 2009 *Where I’ve been, and where I’ll be, Patrick Brown, 11 June 2009 *2D FESTIVAL REPORT 2009, Declan Shalvey, 15 June 2009 *2D, Stephen Mooney, 17 June 2009 *2-D Festival, Derry, D'Israeli, 29 June 2009 Photos *D'Israeli (Flickr) *2D Flickr stream *Ciaran Flanagan (Facebook) *Mike Collins (Facebook) *Bridgeen Gillespie (Facebook) 2010 The fourth 2D Festival was held on 3-5 June 2010. UK guests included Pat Mills, Garry Leach, Leigh Gallagher, Gary Erskine, Colin MacNeil, Ed Hillyer, Emma Vieceli, Glenn Fabry and Mark Stafford. Irish guests included Philip Barrett, Bridgeen Gillespie, Will Simpson, Nick Roche, Stephen Mooney, Davy Francis, Maeve Clancy, Stephen Downey, Joe Campbell and the 2D Collective. The festival was accompanied by an exhibition of Irish comic art at the Void Gallery, featuring the work of Stephen Mooney, Rufus Dayglo, John McCrea, Joe Campbell, Kevin Logue, Declan Shalvey, John Campbell, Philip Barrett and Bridgeen Gillespie. Media *"Promoting Londonderry to aliens!", Londonderry Sentinel, 5 May 2010 *"'Legenderry' competition backs 'City of Culture' bid", Londonderry Sentinel, 5 May 2010 *"Northern Ireland Comics Festival", Londonderry Sentinel, 10 May 2010 *"Derry hosting Comics Festival", Derry Journal, 31 May 2010 *2D Comics Festival Interviews, Literary Belfast, 17 June 2010 *Alan Healy, Comics godfather touches down at 2D (interview with Pat Mills), Verbal Magazine, 14 July 2010 *"Roma's postcard scoops top culture prize", Londonderry Sentinel, 28 July 2010 *"Roma's postcard does the biz for City of Culture", Derry Journal, 30 July 2010 *Sunnyside Comics/Culture NI: text and video Blogs *2D was the greatest". Oh Lordy, I've made a Smashing Pumpkins-based pun., Mark Kardwell, 6 June 2010 *2D in L/D, Paul Mulgrew, 13 June 2010 *Part 2D: Derry Comics Festival, The Black Panel Tour, Alltern8 (Andy Luke), 20 June 2010 *2D FESTIVAL!!!, Leigh Gallagher, 24 June 2010 Photos *Ciaran Flanagan (Facebook) *Stephen Downey (Facebook) Podcasts *2D, or not 2D, The Comic Cast, 1 June 2010 *2D or nor 2D, Sunnyside Comics, 19 June 2010 *Everyone's a Critic, Sunnyside Comics (panel), 31 July 2010 2011 The fifth 2D Festival was held on 2-4 June 2011. Overseas guests included DC art director Mark Chiarello from the US, and Mick McMahon, Denise Mina, Gary Northfield, Garry Leach, Glenn Fabry, David Hine, Mike Collins, Rob Davis, Phil Winslade, Jim Medway, Neill Cameron, D'Israeli, Bec Hill and Vicky Stonebridge from the UK. Irish guests included Will Simpson, Rufus Dayglo, Nick Roche, Davy Francis, Trisha Deery, P. J. Holden, Stephen Downey, Kevin Logue, Joe Campbell, Danny McLaughlin, Philip Barrett and John Campbell. Small press exhibitors included Archie Templar, Gar Shanley, Adam Law, Maura McHugh, Andy Luke, Zenpop, Colin Palin, Tim Stampton, Deirdre de Barra, Stephen Paul Coffey, Rob Carey, Wayne Simmons, Tommie Kelly, Hibernia Comics, Patrick Brown, Aidan Courtney and Dog Ears. Events Thursday *11am-12pm: Children's book illustration (workshop) with Trisha Deery *1-2.30pm: How to draw crazy comics (workshop) with Gary Northfield Friday *11am-12.30pm: Funny animal comics (workshop) with Jim Medway *1-2.30pm: Giant robot design (workshop) with Neill Cameron *1-3pm: Portfolio reviews with Mark Chiarello *3-4.45pm: Creating comics (workshop) with David Hine, D'Israeli, Rufus Dayglo, Philip Barrett, Garry Leach and others *7.15-8.15pm: Storytellers (panel) with David Hine, Mark Chiarello, Rob Davis, Denise Mina *8.30-9.30pm: Sunnyside Comics on piracy and creator ownership (panel) Saturday *10.30-11.30am: Create a 1-page comic (workshop) with Vicky Stonebridge *11.30am-12.30pm: Giant robot design (workshop) with Neill Cameron *12.30-1.30pm: How to be a superhero (workshop) with Bec Hill *1-3.30pm: Portfolio reviews with Mark Chiarello *1.30-2.30pm: Writing for comics (talk) with David Hine *2.30pm - 3.30pm: Visionaries - Rufus Dayglo in conversation with Micik McMahon and Glenn Fabry *3.30-4.15pm: Creating striking images (talk) with Garry Leach *7.15-8.15pm: Breaking into comics (panel) with Mark Chiarello and others *8.30-9.30pm: Old school 2000AD masters (panel) with Mick McMahon, Glenn Fabry, Garry Leach, Will Simpson and Mike Collins Press *"Comic superheroes in town!", Derry Journal, 3 June 2011 *"The Comic Effect" Derry Journal, 10 June 2011 *"Star Wars comes to Derry Comics Fest", Derry Journal, 10 June 2011 *Verbal Magazine issue 36 : 2d Festival 2011 Preview Blogs *2D 2011: Brush Strokes In Stroke City, Down the Tubes (Jeremy Briggs), 11 February 2011 *2D Comics Festival, Wayne Simmons, 5 June 2011 *2D Comics Festival 2011 .... a survivor babbles..., Rufus Dayglo, 6 June 2011 *Good vibes, Hilary Lawler, 6 June 2011 *2d Festival, Deirdre de Barra, 6 June 2011 *this past weekend..., Mark Chiarello, 6 June 2011 *2D Comics festival 2011--My first con, Waow!, Riko, 6 June 2011 *Derry trip sketches, Jim Medway, 7 June 2011 *2D Festival Derry 2011, Rob Davis, 7 June 2011 *Derry 2D Arts Festival, Mick McMahon, 7 June 2011 *In Review: 2D Comics Festival, Down the Tubes (Patrick Brown), 7 June 2011 *2D derry Comic Festival, Vicky Stonebridge, 8 June 2011 *DerryBots, Neill Cameron, 8 June 2011 *Guest post: Andy and Gar fill us on on this year’s 2D Festival, Forbidden Planet International (Andy Luke and Gar Shanley), 10 June 2011 *2D Festival, Stephen Downey, 13 June 2011 Photos *Vicky Stonebridge (Facebook) *Ciaran Flanagan (Facebook) *Naomi Bolger (Facebook) *Paul Rodgers (Facebook) *Lorcan McGrane (Facebook) *Phil Friel (Facebook) Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 *2D Festival 2012 The sixth 2D Festival was held on 31 May-2 June 2012. Guests included Chris Ryall of IDW, Neil Edwards, Cam Kennedy, Charlie Adlard, Jock, John Higgins, Will Simpson, Tony Lee, Simone Lia, Robbie Morrison, Colin MacNeil, Gary Erskine, Emma Vieceli, Dave Elliott, Laura Howell, Garry Leach, Ian Churchill, Rufus Dayglo, Alan Nolan, Dan Berry, Stephen Downey, Stephen Mooney, Will Sliney, Nick Brennan, Davy Francis, PJ Holden, Mike Carroll, Rob Curley, Trisha Deery, Maura McHugh, Bec Hill, Kevin Logue, Danny McLaughlin, Holly Stinson, Joe Campbell, John Campbell, Alen Healy, Chris Thompson and Belfast Roller Derby. External links *2D Comics Festival *Verbal Arts Centre *Sandinos Bar *2D Facebook Group *2D's Flickr stream Category:Events